Sisimiut

Greenland's second-largest town, north of the Arctic Circle; beyond its centuries-old blue church and open-air museum, it is the end point of the Arctic Circle Trail, with whale watching in summer and dog sledding in winter.

Sisimiut lies on Greenland's west coast about 40 km north of the Arctic Circle. With around 5,500 residents, it is Greenland's second-largest town and one of the largest ice-free ports north of the Arctic Circle. Colourful wooden houses are scattered over rocky slopes between the mountains and the sea, backed by the 784 m Nasaasaaq. The highlight of the centre is the old colonial harbour area: the blue Bethel Church from 1775, a whalebone arch and the open-air Sisimiut Museum (turf houses and the colonial manager's residence), all seen in half a day on foot. Summer (Jun–Aug) brings long days and even round-the-clock daylight, the season for hiking and boat trips: climb Nasaasaaq or the easier Palasip Qaqqaa for views over the bay, take a boat into Amerloq Fjord to see humpback whales and abandoned settlements, or explore the Aasivissuit–Nipisat World Heritage Site, an Inuit hunting ground; the famous Arctic Circle Trail (about 160 km, 7–10 days) runs from here to Kangerlussuaq. In winter (Feb–Apr) the snow is reliable for Greenlandic dog sledding, cross-country skiing and northern lights, and the Arctic Circle Race cross-country ski event is held each Mar–Apr. Getting there: no roads connect to the outside world; fly in on an Air Greenland small plane from Kangerlussuaq or Nuuk, and coastal passenger ships also call in summer. Plan 2–4 days (excluding the long-distance trek). Tips: the weather is changeable, so go with local guides for boat trips and mountain hikes or check the forecast in advance; prices are high and accommodation is limited in peak season, so book early.

Top sights

• Sisimiut Museum – An open-air museum in the old colonial harbour district, with turf houses, 18th-century wooden buildings and a whale-jaw arch, offering ins…
• Arctic Circle Trail – A roughly 160-kilometre wilderness trail linking Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut, one of the classic long-distance hikes in the world.
• Amerloq Fjord whale watching – Take a boat into Amerloq Fjord, southeast of town, to watch humpback whales and seals and visit the abandoned village of Asaqqutaq.
• Bethel Church – A blue wooden church completed in 1775, one of Greenland's oldest surviving churches, with a whalebone arch nearby.
• Nasaasaaq – A 784-meter landmark peak behind the town, from whose summit you can see the coast, fjords and inland mountains.
• Palasip Qaqqaa – An easy 544-meter peak northwest of town, a 2–4 hour round trip overlooking the town, the airport and the bay.
• Dog sledding – Sisimiut is the southernmost point of Greenland's dog sledding area, where in winter you can ride with a hunter across the snowfields.
• Sisimiut Harbour – An ice-free fishing harbor where fishing boats and colorful houses stand side by side, and local vendors sell fish and seal meat at the nea…
• Sarfannguit (Aasivissuit – Nipisat) – An Inuit fishing village within the World Heritage hunting grounds of 'Aasivissuit–Nipisat', reached by boat through fjords in about 1.5 ho…
• Itilleq – A fishing village just south of the Arctic Circle, where boats heading south officially 'cross the Arctic Circle' along the way.

Where to eat

• Restaurant Nasaasaaq – The top restaurant in Sisimiut, at Hotel Sisimiut on the hillside east of town, known for its traditional Greenlandic b…
• Café SØMA (Hotel SØMA) – An affordable canteen in the old town at Hotel SØMA, with daily specials and musk ox burgers, popular with locals.

Itineraries

• Greenland West Coast Coastal Ferry & Icefjord – Sail from Nuuk to Sisimiut on a coastal ferry, then fly to Disko Bay to see the icefjord.